Harry Potter and the Year of Toil and Trouble

Chapter eight

They found Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins gathered in a huddle outside the potions room. They were all looking over Malfoy's shoulder at the Daily Prophet headline and whispering amongst themselves. They looked up as Harry and Ron approached.

"Joined the dark side, have you Potter?" sneered Malfoy, holding up the paper. "Supporting your parents' murderer? Nice one."

The Slytherins all laughed, but Malfoy didn't. Instead, he stepped closer to Harry.

"And all those...lies...about my father..." he waved the paper. "Tarnishing my father's reputation...you'll pay for that, Potter,"

"It isn't lies!" Harry snapped back. "It's the truth and you know it! I saw your father there, along with their fathers!" he pointed at Crabbe and Goyle who cracked their knuckles and glared at him.

"Prove it," hissed Malfoy, venomously. "Everyone knows your head is all muddled after you-know-who tried to kill you fourteen years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if you killed Cedric and used you-know-who as an excuse..."

"YOU...!" cried Ron, in anger. Before Harry could stop him, Ron had flung himself on Malfoy and was punching every part of him he could find. Harry tried to break them apart, but Crabbe and Goyle grabbed him and started to hit him. Seamus and Dean were cheering Ron on, the Slytherins were cheering Malfoy on, and Lavender and Parvati were screaming in fright.

"SILENCE!" came the voice of Professor 'Snape' loudly. "Accio!" he cried, pointing his wand at Malfoy and Malfoy broke apart from Ron and flew backwards, landing next to Snape further up the corridor. Ron got to his feet, panting heavily while harry broke free from Crabbe and Goyle, sporting a bloody nose.

"Explain," said Snape coolly, turning to Malfoy.

"Weasley attacked me, sir, and Potter attacked Crabbe and Goyle," said Malfoy. Harry could see a purple bruise forming under Malfoy's left eye.

"Malfoy was calling me a murderer!" cried Harry furiously. He glared at his godfather, willing him to punish Malfoy.

"Getting tips off your godfather, Potter?" said Professor 'Snape' coolly. The Slytherins sniggered in appreciation. "Ten points each from Gryffindor and detention for you both."

"But sir!" cried Ron in frustration.

"Hospital wing, Malfoy," said 'Snape'. "Potter, Weasley, get inside. NOW!"

Furious, Harry and Ron went into the classroom and Harry got out his books. He threw them down onto his table with a loud thump so that Sirius would know how angry he felt. Sirius however, did not react. He behaved so much like the real Snape that Harry wondered if perhaps it was.

'Snape put them all into pairs and gave them ingredients for a weight-loss potion. He swept past them in his long black cloak, criticizing Gryffindors and praising Slytherins. He had just told everyone to watch Pansy Parkinson (who certainly needed it) test her potion, when a shriek from the other side of the classroom made them all turn around.

Neville Longbottom had tested his potion on Parvati Patil, and the opposite effect was taking place. Parvati was swelling like a balloon. She reminded Harry of how his Aunt Marge had looked two summers ago. Parvati was getting rounder and redder in the face. The Slytherins began to roar with laughter, while the Gryffindors watched in horror. Parvati began to roll around the classroom, like a large football. When she reached Pansy Parkinson, Pansy threw out a foot and kicked Parvati hard, so that she began to roll in the opposite direction. The Slytherins laughed even louder.

"Fool!" yelled Snape, hurrying over to where Neville stood, cowering. "You added the frogspawn before the rats' tails, didn't you!" Snape waved his wand and Parvati instantly returned to her normal size. The usually vain girl took one look at the Slytherins laughing and pointing at her and burst into tears, before running out of the classroom.

"YOU boy!" snarled Snape, at Neville. "Will be attending my first year class from now on, to learn from them. You have a free period then, so you have no excuse. And in this class, you shall be merely observing. I cannot risk the safety of my students. Another twenty points from Gryffindor."

Neville hung his head and let out a stifled sob. Harry sprung to his feet, shaking with anger. How dare Sirius treat Neville like this?

"Leave him alone," said Harry firmly. The whole classroom went silent, watching Harry.

"Harry...!" Ron hissed beside him, but Harry ignored him.

"Neville doesn't deserve that," said Harry, glaring at his godfather. "Anyone can make a mistake."

"Sit down, Potter," spat 'Snape'.

"I haven't finished...!" Harry yelled, his face burning with anger.

"Get out of my classroom, Potter!" yelled Snape, rising to his feet, "wait outside, NOW!" he pointed his wand at the door, which sprang open. Harry stood glaring at his godfather for several more seconds before walking out the door to wait in the corridor, where he stood, still shaking with anger. Sirius slammed the door behind him.

After half an hour of standing, glaring at the wall opposite, the door behind Harry opened and the rest of the class filed past him. The Slytherins smirked, while the Gryffindors glared at him. Ron walked past with a muttered "see you later," then 'Snape' appeared and beckoned Harry back inside.

"That was out of order, Sirius," Harry began, as soon as Sirius closed the door behind him. Sirius placed his hand over Harry's mouth forcing him to be quiet.

"I had to do it," Sirius explained.

"WHY?" asked Harry, pulling Sirius' hand away furiously. "It's bad enough that the real Professor Snape bullies Neville..."

"Exactly," Sirius interrupted. "The real Professor Snape. Everyone assumes I'm the real Professor Snape, therefore I have to act like the real Professor Snape. I don't like it, Harry. I really don't. Neville seems like a nice boy, reminds me of Peter...except for the backstabbing thing. If I don't bully Neville and if I don't take points from Gryffindor, the Slytherins will get suspicious and go and tell their Deatheater parents. I need to do this so Snape can do his job for Dumbledore."

"Right," said Harry, feeling slightly calmer. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," said Sirius, shaking his head. "I'm sorry I can't hug you, I'm sorry I have to act like an asshole all the time, I'm sorry I made you mad."

"It's okay, I understand," said Harry, offering a small smile. "It's hard, though. Not knowing what's going on, pretending everything is okay when it isn't. But at least you're here, even if you are disguised as Snape. It makes me feel a little safer."

"It means I don't have to worry so much," Sirius agreed.

"Well...uh...you can give me a hug now," said Harry, with a shrug.

Sirius grabbed him and hugged him tightly. Harry felt his eyes go wet and found that he didn't care. No one had ever hugged him before, not before Sirius had come along, and Harry wanted to make up for lost time.

"You know," said Harry, breaking away and grinning up at Sirius. "This feels weird. Me hugging Snape. Yuck!"

"Good point. Lets stop."

"Okay,"

"You saw the Daily Prophet?" Sirius asked, sitting down on one of the desks and motioning for Harry to do the same.

"Yes, Sirius, what if they find out you're here? The deatheaters or the Ministry?"

"No one, apart from you, Ron, Remus, McGonagall and Dumbledore, knows I'm here," said Sirius calmly. "Not even Rita Skeeter."

"Won't Dumbledore get into trouble now? The Ministry could send people to investigate."

"They've already been in touch. They are sending several ministers to investigate, including Alastor Moody, Amos Diggory and Arthur Weasley." Sirius grinned.

"So Dumbledore might get off?"

"Possibly," Sirius nodded. "Fudge is pretty angry though. I guess we'll see. I'm sure we can deal with whatever happens."

"What about the stuff about Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew?" asked Harry.

"People will panic, but they will be on their guard. As for Wormtail..." a look of disgust shot across Sirius' face briefly, but he continued: "he'll find it harder to hide from the Ministry."

"Okay, what about Rita Skeeter revealing that Dumbledore has an army against Voldemort?"

"The Ministry want to check that out too, but I'm sure there'll be nothing to worry about," said Sirius still calmly. Noticing Harry's annoyed frown, he explained further: "no one knows who's working for Dumbledore. Well, they know I am but like I said, they don't know where I am. They don't know what Dumbledore has planned, and he won't reveal much. We really have to wait and see what the ministry says after their investigations. However, Moody made a point of asking to be on the investigation team. Fudge was hesitant, as he and Dumbledore are old friends, but then again, Moody hates dark wizards and Fudge realised he'd be best to discover my location."

"Okay...." said Harry, although he still felt a bit confused. "What does Dumbledore have planned?" asked Harry, curiously.

Sirius hesitated, then spoke. "Well, I suppose I have to tell you, seeing as it involves you." Harry nodded. "First things first, the unicorn blood around your neck."

"This?" asked Harry, fingering his amulet.

"Yes, drinking it will keep you alive."

"What about Avada Kedavra?"

"Nothing can protect you from that, Harry," said Sirius, gravely. "But it will prevent you from being killed and tortured in other ways."

"Does Voldemort know about the unicorn blood?"

"You told me he drank some in your first year so he evidently does. He has unicorn protection as well as a cursed life," Sirius ran his hand through Snape's greasy hair. "Also, Dumbledore suggests you try Priori Incantatem again, should you come face to face with Voldemort once more."

"Why?"

"If you force the wand to regurgitate every spell it has performed, it will be useless. It will be like a child's wand. There is little Voldemort can do without his wand being fully functional."

"Can't he use another?" asked Harry.

"He could," Sirius nodded. "But it wouldn't be as effective, and I'm sure Voldemort wants a fully functional wand. Also, there's the fact that Voldemort bled you last year."

"What about that?" said Harry, giving Sirius a questioning look.

"He can't kill you," said Sirius with a smile.

"But Avada Kedavra..."

"Doesn't work against a family member," Sirius finished.

"He isn't family."

"But he has your blood, which is the same thing, really."

"So...Voldemort can't kill me?" asked Harry, amazed.

"He could get someone else too," Sirius admitted.

"Does Voldemort know this?" asked Harry, running a hand through his hair, trying to take everything in.

"He wouldn't have bled you if he had known then. He might know now," Sirius shrugged. "You should drink that now, Harry." He gestured to the unicorn blood.

"Now?"

"You can't predict when they will try to kill you again, and I'm sure they will try again."

"Okay," somewhat apprehensively, Harry opened the vial and drank the blood in one gulp. It felt like ice, but it fizzed like a fizzy drink as it went down his throat. Other than that, there was little sensation. Harry felt quite surprised.

"Are you sure I won't have a cursed life?" he asked Sirius.

"No, not unless you killed it. But it was already dying, of natural causes. Now that you've drank it, nothing except Avada Kedavra can kill or injure you."

"They can't even put the Cruciatus curse on me?"

"No."

"So if I see Voldemort, I have to try to regurgitate every spell?"

"Yes, or try to reflect it, using expelarmus. You don't have to worry Harry. Voldemort made a fatal mistake when he bled you. You're even safer now. Unless..."

"Unless Wormtail or another deatheater tries to kill me," Harry finished.

"We're doing our best to keep you alive, Harry," said Sirius firmly. "We have lots of methods."

"What do you mean? What else have you got planned?"

"I can't tell you," said Sirius, his eyes darkening. Harry looked at him, puzzled, but decided not to question him any further on that matter.

"What if..." Harry hesitated. "What if...I see my parents again? Or Cedric?"

Sirius went pale. "Well...I'm sure James will try to help you Harry. Like last time. Just concentrate on what you have to do. You can do it. I have utmost faith in you. Anyway," Sirius stood up and changed the subject. "You don't want to miss lunch. Off you go, godfather's orders." Harry nodded and left the classroom heading towards the Great Hall where Ron would be waiting, Harry's head swimming with information.